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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22891696">Roots for the Future</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/shockandlock/pseuds/shockandlock'>shockandlock</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cooking, Fatherhood, M/M, Parenthood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:27:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22891696</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/shockandlock/pseuds/shockandlock</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the war is long over, Ashe finally has his feet on the ground as he runs his inn, the Blooming Violet, with his siblings. Things are finally starting to take off when someone leaves an unexpected surprise on the steps of the inn. What's Ashe to do?</p><p>Dedue has been faithfully serving Dimitri for many years, but he finds his heart pining for something more. When he hears rumors of an inn serving food from Duscur, he can't help thinking...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>70</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. What's in Store?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Lmao I forgot that I thought about this idea a while back and I just remembered it earlier, so I decided to write part of it now. This is just the beginning part. I don't know when the next part will be done. Haha this is probably a mess because I'm really stressed while posting it, so if there are any mistakes, let me know.</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Running an inn was not easy, but Ashe never expected it to be. There were a lot of moving parts to the whole process from the very beginning: where was the inn going to be located? Should they find a vacant building or build an entirely new one from scratch? Who was going to handle the finances? Taking in all these overwhelming factors made his head spin. The place that existed in his dreams seemed to be slipping ever further away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thank goodness for his siblings. Anise had taken it upon herself to learn the finances. She had studied anything and everything she could during the war years and was ready to pick up more vigorous studies to help Ashe. Bay had aided a mercenary group with reconstruction work once the war had ended, and they were willing to help with renovations once Ashe had found a place near the outskirts of Fhirdiad. Lonato had left the three of them a modest inheritance. They saved what they could carefully throughout the war and used a good chunk of it to purchase the inn that would become the Blooming Violet.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We kinda splurged on the kitchen,” Anise admitted, looking through the paperwork, “but I know it’s important for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we save on ingredients if we grow our own fruits and vegetables?” Ashe asked. He knew that they had the knowledge to grow plants. They just needed the proper resources.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anise hummed thoughtfully. She stared at the papers for another moment longer then dipped her quill into the inkpot, hesitating. “Well, with some clever budgeting, maybe. We’ll definitely have to focus on one aspect over the other first until we start making profits.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so, the Blooming Violet was open for business, though Ashe couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointment that he could not properly open the restaurant just yet. That didn’t mean that he neglected the lodging business of course. He put his all into everything that he did and it paid off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The inn was surprisingly lucrative. Now that Fódlan was a unified country once more, many people were traveling in and out of the capital after the war. Naturally, they needed a place to stay. Of course, the beginning of business was slow, but word spread from their initial customers:</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Their prices are very reasonable!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’ll get an amazing dinner when you arrive and a delicious breakfast before you leave!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>Ashe was flattered that their guests loved his cooking, even if he didn’t feel like a proper chef yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were able to add a greenhouse by the next year.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashe had been cooking simple, yet tasty, meals for their guests, but the anticipation of properly running a restaurant was electrifying. They had stocked up on spices and ingredients. It was finally time to cook the first proper meal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sent dinner out and part of him wanted to hide in the kitchen, but when a guest asked for his presence, Anise pulled him out into the dining room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love this dish!” she praised, dipping her spoon back into the bowl for more stew. “Where did you learn to make it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I uh–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anise cut him off, elbowing his side. “Calm down, Ashe. You can handle this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashe nodded at his sister and started his sentence again. “This is a dish of Duscur. I learned it from a friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashe tensed when the woman’s movements slowed, spoon halfway to her mouth as if she was struggling to process the information. Suddenly her eyes lit up. “Wow, really? I’ll have to come around more often if all Duscur cooking is like this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As relieving as her reaction was, Ashe didn’t relax until the end of the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Things are only going to get brighter from here, Ashe,” Bay reassured, wiping sweat off his brow as he collapsed onto a bench at one of the tables. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bay, you should go to bed if you’re so tired,” Ashe scolded. “Anise is already asleep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s going to help you clean the kitchen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashe sighed and pulled Bay up from the bench, pushing him in the direction of their living quarters. “I can take care of it, Bay. You rest up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bay grinned, but he didn’t resist Ashe’s pushing. “Alright, alright. Always the concerned older brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good night, Bay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“G’night!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cleaning up felt more exhausting than cooking, especially when he was doing it alone, but his siblings needed their rest and he would make sure that they were taking care of themselves no matter what. Besides, the quiet of the night could be rather zen. The process of wiping down the tables and kitchen counters was a rather meditative process. All that was left to  make sure that the candles were properly extinguished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then when a noise interrupted him. The noise was faint, but Ashe swore that he heard someone knock on the door of the inn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I’m just hearing things,” he muttered to himself, but then an awful thought crossed his mind. “It can’t be.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of extinguishing the last candle, he used the flame to light a lantern and cautiously approached the entrance of the inn. He put his hand on the door handle, but he felt himself freeze. It wasn’t often that a traveller stopped in so late. What if the person behind the door was a bandit?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he had lived through too much to die to something like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashe took a deep breath. “No running, Ashe. You can handle this.” And with that, he pulled the door open and stepped out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no one there, but that only made Ashe more nervous. “Hello? Is anyone there?” he called cautiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was silent. He sighed in relief, lowering his lantern. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned around to step back inside, but then someone let out a cry. Ashe’s eyes widened as he looked towards the source of the noise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitting there at the bottom of the Blooming Violet’s steps was a crate and inside was the unmistakable, vulnerable form of an infant.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Things You Cry Over</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all for the reception so far! Honestly, I didn't think I would get another chapter up so soon, but I was pretty motivated. This was originally going to be just a long one-shot, but I was eager to work on it so I made it a multi-chapter instead. I can't wait to write more for this.</p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ashe acted on instinct immediately. He almost dropped the lantern on the ground, but he had enough mind to set it down gently. If the lantern were to break, there was a risk that a fire would start and harm the baby. He quickly made his way to the bottom of the steps and knelt next to the small crate to see inside. It had rained earlier in the day and the ground was still a tad muddy, but Ashe didn’t care if his clothes got dirty. There were more important matters at hand. These conditions were quite obviously unhealthy for a baby. He needed to get them inside right away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashe reached down into the crate, but then he hesitated. How was one supposed to pick up a baby? Maybe he should just bring the entire crate in and figure it out later? But who knew how dirty this crate was? If he just left them in there, then they were bound to get sick (and Ashe didn’t even want to imagine what he would do if that happened). The baby’s continued cries did not help his panic at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made sure to try and encompass the baby’s whole body as he lifted her up. The memories were vague, but he did remember some of the nuns taking care of orphaned children when he was a student at the monastery. He tried to think of how they would hold babies and imitated that. The baby was a literal handful, and so Ashe had to leave the crate and lantern outside for the time being.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rocked the baby in his arms as he entered the inn, hoping that the noise would not wake anyone. This clearly took priority over any guests right now, but he didn’t exactly know how he would even begin to explain the situation if he was caught like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There, there,” he whispered gently. Thankfully, the gentle rocking motion and reassuring words seemed to work— for now. Even though Ashe knew little about taking care of babies, he knew that at any moment, the baby might resume their cries. The room was still rather dark, but for the first time, he was able to get a good look at the baby.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt his heart melt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were so, so tiny, dwarfed by the makeshift blanket of a tarp they had been bundled in. Ashe made a mental note to retrieve something much more suitable. They had plenty of extra blankets for the guests of the inn and he saw no problem in using one of them until he could get something better. The tarp, like the crate, was probably dirty with germs that should be nowhere near an infant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course. They would absolutely need proper supplies: clothes, furniture, food, anything to help this poor child. But where would they get all these things, especially at this time of night? It was definitely impossible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then when the baby started to wail again and Ashe knew that he was in for a long, long night. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Ashe didn’t realize how much time had passed until sunlight started to come in through the window, yet he still didn’t stop rocking the baby. It had been a messy night and now he was a mess as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anise found him in that disheveled state. She had always been an early riser. “Oh my god,” she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. “Is that… no way. It’s a baby, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashe nodded silently, too tired to give a proper response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you even sleep last night?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… well, the night is hazy,” Ashe croaked. The baby cooed quietly and Ashe looked down. “It’s alright, little one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anise rushed over, keeping her voice low. “Ashe, give it to me. You can’t help in this state.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s a girl,” Ashe corrected. He was so tired that he was barely thinking about the words that were coming out of his mouth. “A beautiful girl.” He didn’t resist when Anise took the baby girl from his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, very beautiful,” she agreed, cradling the baby carefully, “so why don’t you let me take care of her right now, so you can rest?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But… the guests?” There were many more thoughts running through his head like his concern over the restaurant, but he couldn’t find the proper words for much of anything at the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wake Bay up before you go to sleep. He can help, but Ashe, you’re not in a state to do much of anything right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In his head, he didn’t want to leave the baby, but he knew Anise was right. He felt undead as he ambled sloppily over to their sleeping quarters. Bay was still fast asleep, drooling on the pillow that he was clutching tight. Ashe shook his shoulder. Bay groaned, but other than that, he didn’t respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried again. “Bay. Wake up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bay opened his eyes halfway, looking undoubtedly bleary. “Whuzzit?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anise needs your help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt like it took forever for Bay to properly respond, but when he did, he immediately noticed Ashe’s state. “Ashe, hey. Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t think. “I… feel…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, he fell over and his vision went black.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ashe!”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>When he woke up, he was tucked into bed with a wet cloth draped across his forehead. “When… How did I get here?” he muttered to himself, staring at the ceiling as he attempted to recall the event that led up to his current state.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The realization hit him much like one of the many arrows he had fired during war and his eyes shot open wide. “Oh, goddess. The baby!” He sat up and immediately felt dizzy and stiff, but he persisted anyways. He made his way to the dining room where he left the baby with Anise, bracing himself against the wall the whole way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, judging from the amount of sun coming in through the windows, it was around the middle of the day, which was when the inn tended to be the least busy. Most guests stopped in at night or left in the morning, which left the middle of the day relatively free (not that they didn’t need someone to man the place anyways). Unsurprisingly, the dining room was empty, but there was a place set with a simple plate of eggs and toast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s for you,” Anise said. Ashe looked towards her. She still had the baby with her, but now, she was strapped to her chest in some sort of make-shift sling made out of cloth. Anise seemed to have noticed his questioning stare. “Oh this? You know the lady from last night that liked your cooking?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashe nodded. “Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She actually works at an orphanage in Fhirdiad. She helped me with this.” Anise twisted around so Ashe could see that the sling was secure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh,” Ashe said, still a bit dumbfounded. What were the chances? “That’s very kind of her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She offered to take the kid, you know.” Anise said this quietly, so it took a few moments for Ashe to process what she actually said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her words froze Ashe to his very core, but the most confusing part was that he didn’t understand why he felt that way. It would have been easier on them if the baby had been taken away. Running the inn and the restaurant required a lot of labor, which didn’t lend itself well to also taking care of a child. It would have been best for the business to bring her to an orphanage, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So why did the thought shatter his heart?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he knew it, the question came to her lips. “Why didn’t you let her go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anise answered without missing a beat. “Because you were already attached.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No matter what Anise said, Ashe would deny crying over his meal after hearing that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he had finished eating, Anise transferred the sling and baby into Ashe’s arms. “She offered to send over someone with some supplies at the very least,” she explained. “Bay cleaned the rooms and checked on the plants, so he went to see his buddies about getting some materials to make a crib.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s good,” Ashe said. He really wished that he was able to make a proper, physical list of things last night so that it was easier to track, but he was glad he could rely on Anise and Bay (especially when they had been relying on him for so much of their lives). They were already in dire need of diapers. Old towels and spare pins could only do so much. “Any idea when the supplies will get here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anise shrugged. “Dunno. She said it wasn’t too far. She was just stopping in last night since she was coming in from a trip out of town.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then when they heard a noise coming from the entrance. “Hello? Is anyone here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Coming!” Anise called. She got up and made her way to the entrance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashe, on the other hand, decided to take his time. He looked down at the baby in his arms, his heart warm with admiration when he saw how peacefully she was sleeping. Slowly, he followed behind Anise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He heard a familiar voice gasp when he reached the entrance, breaking him out of his thoughts. “Ashe? Is that you?”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Who could it possibly be? Let me know who you think it is in a comment! Thanks for reading!</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://twitter.com/shockandlock">twitter</a><br/><a href="https://shockandlock.carrd.co/">carrd</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Name</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is ending up to be more than I thought it would be. Haha, my bad. I really didn't  intend for this to be a multichapter originally, but well, here we are. </p>
<p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Mercedes? Ashe felt the bundle in his arms start to stir and he quieted his voice. “It’s you?”</p>
<p>Mercedes nodded and set her things on the floor. “It’s so good to see you,” she said, stepping forward to pull him into a hug.</p>
<p>“Careful,” he warned, adjusting his hold.</p>
<p>Mercedes nodded. “Of course.” She gently hugged him anyways, cautiously aware of the baby between them. “It’s been so long.”</p>
<p>“Well, we have been apart for longer.” He wished he hadn’t said it as soon as the words came out of his mouth. Those five years of war were more painful than anyone wished to think about. </p>
<p>Thankfully, Mercedes seemed to be understanding of this. They didn’t linger much on Ashe’s words. </p>
<p>“I’m happy to see that you’re doing well,” he continued. “You’re helping out at an orphanage then?” He felt like he didn’t even need confirmation of this fact. It undoubtedly suited her.</p>
<p>Mercedes nodded with a smile. “Flora told me about how amazing your cooking is. I’m glad to see that you haven’t given it up! I have missed eating your meals from our academy days.”</p>
<p>Ashe blushed. “You think so?” It was always touching to hear someone say that they liked his cooking, even from way back when he successfully cooked his first dish on his own. </p>
<p>“Wait.” Anise interrupted, catching up with the situation. “You two know each other?”</p>
<p>It was then when Ashe realized that he had gotten so engrossed in his reunion with his dear friend that he forgot his manners. “How rude of me. I forgot to introduce you two,” Ashe said. He guided Anise over to Mercedes. “Anise, this is Mercedes. We were classmates at the academy. Mercedes, this is Anise, my little sister.”</p>
<p>Together, the three of them moved the supplies that Mercedes had brought into the dining room. Ashe planned to relocate them later, but for now, he needed to know exactly what they were working with. He had learned the importance of taking inventory now that he was running an inn and restaurant.</p>
<p>Of course, because of these skills, he wanted to ensure Mercedes felt welcomed right away. Against Anise’s advice, he quickly got to work in the kitchen.     </p>
<p>“She’s so adorable,” Mercedes cooed. It was her turn to hold the baby. Anise was busy taking inventory of the supplies, meticulously scribbling out a list.</p>
<p>“Everyone says that about babies,” Anise chimed. “Never heard someone call a baby ugly before. Just plain rude.”</p>
<p>“Well, there’s beauty in all life and considering the circumstances, I think we should celebrate that fact.” </p>
<p>She was a surprisingly healthy baby for one that had been abandoned on the doorstep of an inn. That choice still confused Ashe. Sure, they had plenty of room, but what were the parents hoping to accomplish by leaving her here instead of at an orphanage instead? </p>
<p>“Do you think they meant to bring her to the orphanage?” he asked Mercedes when he set her dish down in front of her.</p>
<p>“I think that’s likely,” she answered, handing the baby girl back to Ashe so that she could indulge in Ashe’s cooking. Ashe wasn’t afraid to admit that it was exciting to cook for a close friend again, and Mercedes had always loved his cooking. “There are many reasons why children may end up in orphanages, especially after the war. It’s rather sad.”</p>
<p>Ashe nodded in agreement. He didn’t make any mention of his own family’s situation, but it was impossible not to think about it. How would things have been different if the three of them ended up at an orphanage instead of with Lonato? </p>
<p>He never would have experienced the pain of loss again and again: Cristophe, Lonato, and then the countless losses of war. Maybe it could have been for the better, yet he also knew that he never would have met the people that would become like a second family to him. </p>
<p>As the Blue Lions had become his family, even now that they were apart, he wanted to become family to this girl.</p>
<p>“Oh my. This is delicious!” Mercedes had finished the first bite of the rice and beef dish Ashe had made. “It’s Duscurian, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Yes. Dedue taught me.” He couldn’t help the swell of pride he felt. Some of this was on behalf of his skills, but the other was on behalf of Dedue. He smiled fondly just thinking of him. It had been a long time since Ashe had seen him, but even still, that didn’t make their bond any less weak. Ashe would say the same thing about all his dear classmates, but this was different. “We’ve only just recently got the restaurant up and running. I know it’s just a small gesture, but I want to show people the little piece of Duscur that Dedue showed to us.”</p>
<p>“Even if you think it’s a small gesture, I think it’s wonderful,” Mercedes said. She took another bite and savored it longer this time. “I’m sure that Dedue would love this.”</p>
<p>Ashe let out a sheepish (and yes, guilty) laugh. “Yeah, about that…”</p>
<p>The corners of Mercedes’s mouth turned downward into a frown. Ashe grimaced. He wasn’t usually the one on the end of Mercedes’s disappointed looks (that was usually reserved for Sylvain). It didn’t feel great. “You haven’t told him about this yet?”</p>
<p>Ashe opened his mouth, but it was hard to get his feelings out. Eventually, he found the right words. “I want to see him. I want to tell him,” he admitted, adjusting his hold on the baby to distract himself, “but he must be so busy. I wouldn’t want to disturb him or His Majesty. Honestly?” He hesitated but decided it was best to tell her the truth now. “You’re the first person from our class that I’ve seen after the war.”</p>
<p>Mercedes reached out to him, gently patting his shoulder. It was a reassuring gesture really, but his anxieties over his confession hadn’t completely gone away. “They’re our friends, Ashe. I’m sure they would love to hear from you,” she reassured. “Even that we’re apart now, I think it’s still important that we stay in touch from time to time.”</p>
<p>“You’re right, Mercedes.” They left the conversation there.</p>
<p>Mercedes's help was absolutely welcomed at a time like this. She helpfully explained not just what supplies they would need to raise the girl, but where they could purchase them when they ran out. “You can always come to visit too if you have any questions.” She held out a paper to Ashe with some addresses written on it. “This is the address for the doctor we bring the orphanage children to. If anything is wrong, you can rely on them too.”</p>
<p>Ashe smiled. “Thank you, Mercedes.”</p>
<p>“Does she have a name yet?” she asked. </p>
<p>When Ashe had first taken her in last night, he checked over and over for some kind of note or sign of a name on the tarp or crate, but no such luck.</p>
<p>“How about Christine?” Anise suggested, breaking the silence. “After… Well, you know.”</p>
<p>“Christophe.” Ashe felt himself choking over his words. </p>
<p>“That seems like a beautiful name,” Mercedes agreed.</p>
<p>Ashe stared down at the tiny bundle in his arms like she was his whole world. She was sleeping so peacefully. “Welcome to our family, Christine.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm so sorry that we haven't gotten to Dedue yet! Trust me, I want to get to this sweet Ashe/Dedue content too, but I have ideas that I really want to write for this. It will be a couple of more chapters, but hopefully not too long.</p>
<p>What do you guys think of the name that I used? Let me know in a Comment and make sure to leave Kudos too!</p>
<p>
  <a>twitter</a>
  <br/>
  <a>carrd</a>
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Grapevine - Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Turns out, when you suddenly become a father, word gets around.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Motivation during quarantine is hard. I feel bad that I haven't updated this in a while, but maybe I'll have more time to work on this since I'm done with classes now. Sorry for the wait!</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>One of Ashe’s initial concerns for their new family member was about space. The inn itself had plenty of room, but there was hardly any space for a proper nursery. Thankfully, Bay’s mercenary friends were more than willing to help construct new rooms in exchange for a hot meal and adequate payment. They even built some new furniture: a simple, yet charming crib and a cozy rocking chair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thanks to Mercedes’s help they had most of the supplies they needed to raise Christine. Ashe cooked up a nice big meal for the orphanage as thanks and it worked out so well that they promised to make it a monthly tradition.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mercedes also helped spread the word about the inn. Word of mouth was always good for business and now they could afford to hire some help. The Blooming Violet hired one additional full-time employee as well as a few part-timers. The new staff mainly helped with cleaning rooms and waiting tables, but Ashe was still the head chef in the kitchen. He’d love to teach someone the recipes, but for now, he needed to handle the food to make sure it was perfect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>(It wasn’t his place to pass those recipes on.)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At any given time, either Ashe, Bay, or Anise was with Christine. She was a part of their family now and they wanted to make sure that she bonded with each of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m definitely the best uncle,” Bay bragged as he moved Christine’s stuffed toy horse along the ground in front of her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re her only uncle if we’re getting into technicalities,” Anise argued. “I can still be the best aunt.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah? And what about Mercedes then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ashe pulled Christine, who giggled happily, into his lap. “Are you two going to give it a rest?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope.” Bay grinned as if he was proud of this fact.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sighed. “I should have known.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though Bay and Anise loved to squabble on who was best at helping to raise Christine, there was something that did agree on: Ashe was Christine’s father.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That and that Christine— with her little wispy tufts of dark hair and her big green eyes— was the cutest baby ever. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Still weird to think of you as a </span>
  <em>
    <span>father</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Bay commented, drawing out vowels of Ashe’s new “title”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anise shrugged. “I mean, Ashe has been taking care of us for a long time now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You two are going to make me feel old.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their conversation was interrupted when they heard the light ding of the front desk bell on the other side of the wall of their living room. Ashe insisted that they keep their living space close to the front in case anyone showed up late at night. It was a pain sometimes, but at least none of them had fallen asleep yet. “I’ll get it,” Ashe said before passing Christine over to Bay. He made his way to the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He froze when he saw who was waiting for him on the other side of the desk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ashe!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my goodness. Annette?” He made his way to the other side of the desk to get a better look at her.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She beamed at him. Even though it had been a few years since they last saw each other, she looked almost exactly as he remembered. He could never mistake her red hair and chirpy voice for someone else. “It’s been so long!” she exclaimed and before he could respond, she pulled him into a friendly hug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ashe let out a light laugh. This was definitely Annette. “It has, hasn’t it?” He patted her on the back and pulled away. “It’s late though. Why don’t I get you set up in a room and then we can talk in the morning?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no, you don’t! I’ve been looking forward to seeing you ever since Mercedes told me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ashe should have known that the information would eventually make its way around to Annette— not that he really blamed her. They were best friends after all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did Mercedes tell Annette about Christine as well?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If she did, Annette expressed no knowledge of this, though Ashe knew that he would introduce her to his daughter eventually (as weird as it was to think about). Soon, they were sitting in the dining room. Ash didn’t have the time to cook up a whole meal for Annette at this time of night, but he still brewed a pot of sweet-apple tea.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry I don’t have any of those little cakes you like so much,” he apologized as he poured the tea into the matching set of cups. “I’m not much of a baker.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe we can ask Mercie to make some tomorrow!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had a quick chat over tea, updating each other on their lives. Annette was currently teaching at Garreg Mach under Professor Hanneman. “I still have a lot to learn before I’m a full-fledged teacher. The professor made it look so easy!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ashe, on the other hand, told Annette about the inn. “It took a while to get off the ground, but I think we’re in a good place!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The news about Christine could wait until tomorrow when they were well-rested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, he was able to convince Annette to head to bed. Thankfully, they always tried to keep their empty rooms ready for guests, so it didn’t take too much time to hand Annette her key and send her on her way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His family had already gone to bed by the time he returned, but he took a brief moment to check on Christine. She was sound asleep for now, but thankfully, Anise was on baby duty for the night. He smiled and kissed the tips of his fingers before brushing them against Christine’s little forehead. “Good night, my little violet.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Ashe woke up bright and early to cook breakfast for the guests. Of course, he also provided a morning cup of tea as well, once again deciding to brew another one of Annette’s favorite tea flavors: Almond Blend. Considering their late-night conversation, it was a surprise when Annette bounced in already.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good morning, Ashe!” she chirped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Morning, Annette,” he greeted back as he laid out a plate for her. “How did you sleep?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like a baby!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glad to hear it.” On the other hand, babies didn’t sleep very well, but she didn’t need to know that quite yet. Nonetheless, Ashe smiled. “I hope you enjoy breakfast as well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If it’s anything like the food you made when we were still students, then I’m sure it’s amazing.” It was nice to hear such praise, especially from a dear friend. “Seriously, it smells so. Good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me know what you think later then. I have to get back to the kitchen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For the most part, he had finished cooking breakfast. Bay and Anise had already eaten and started working for the day. If he started meal preparations for lunch now, then he would have more time to catch up with Annette. Thankfully, he knew Mercedes was planning to visit today, so there was no need to send a messenger to the orphanage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he still had to introduce Christine to Annette. He knew that Annette would love her, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh my gosh. What an adorable baby!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or they could just meet anyway.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was originally going to be a bit longer, but I figured out a structure and plan for the next few chapters at least! Originally, this was supposed to be a way shorter fic. I promise the AsheDedue content WILL happen!</p>
<p>Please leave Kudos and a Comment to let me know what you think!</p>
<p>
  <a href="https://twitter.com/shockandlock">twitter</a>
  <br/>
  <a href="https://shockandlock.carrd.co/">carrd</a>
</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So what did you think? What is Ashe going to do about this baby? Let me know your thoughts in a Comment down below and make sure to leave Kudos as well!</p><p>Please consider following me on <a href="https://twitter.com/shockandlock">twitter</a> or checking out my <a href="https://shockandlock.carrd.co/">carrd</a> if you'd like to see fun little writing updates or support me!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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